QUESTION
How does the zoning proposal account for differences between densely urban areas and more suburban, residential areas like Staten Island?
1:21:35
·
4 min
The zoning proposal recognizes differences between neighborhoods in New York City and makes different types of rule changes in different district types.
- Some of the 18 proposals would not be applicable on Staten Island, while others like changes to corner stores, auto repair shops, or creating processes for new businesses would apply.
- The zoning resolution organizes the city into higher density, medium density and lower density areas, so changes are made in that context.
- The proposal aims to create processes to allow things like corner stores if desirable in a community, recognizing the vast differences across the city.
- The changes are organized by the existing zoning districts which account for varying densities and neighborhood types.
Kamillah Hanks
1:21:35
So many of the examples that you used are for densely packed urban areas.
1:21:41
And this plan does it take into consideration the more suburban areas of these communities where NYC, Cornerstone, Stores, Life Sciences, Labs, home based businesses completely freak out.
1:21:55
People who live in the bedroom community portion who really strongly oppose this.
1:22:03
And many of us have both.
1:22:05
And so we're trying to understand and and kind of mitigate through how we unpack or put back in this Pandora's box, which you opened, which many people didn't know what the rules are in the first place, which you very much so added in your in your presentation.
1:22:23
They don't understand the rules, and now we're changing the rules in so it's a complete freak out.
1:22:28
So what are we doing for the communities that you know, it a lot of these changes will adversely or at least they feel that they will adversely impact these bedroom communities.
1:22:42
Heavily residential communities like Staten Island that are looking at this, and some of these rules may mean something completely different than it would in a place like Manhattan as opposed to a place along Forest Avenue.
1:22:56
And Did this plan take into consideration that this is a not one size fits all men New York City anymore?
Dan Garodnick
1:23:06
Absolutely.
1:23:07
And I I really appreciate the question.
1:23:09
And because we made different types of we propose to make different type of rule changes in different district types around the city of it inherently is recognizing what you're describing council member, the the differences in neighborhoods all around New York City.
1:23:27
Of the things that, you know, we are talking about as the 18 proposals.
1:23:33
Some of them would not be applicable on Staten Island.
1:23:37
As a practical matter at all.
1:23:40
And some of them would be, the example that you cited on corner stores or other or reducing conflicts or auto repair or card or design rules or creating a process for some of these sort of new businesses to exist.
1:23:54
They they would be applicable.
1:23:57
But we we recognize that this is a big city and it is a city wide proposal.
1:24:01
Now, as it turns out, Our zoning resolution organizes us.
1:24:06
It organizes us into higher density areas, medium density areas, lower density areas, And so when we're talking about making changes in lower density areas, it's frequently things like our C1 C2 commercial districts.
1:24:23
It's frequently in the context of manufacturing districts, which exist in Staten Island and many many other places.
1:24:32
So, yes, we are organized by the zoning resolution and we believe and understand that people are learning the rules, even as we're making proposals to change them.
1:24:40
And, you know, when you start talking about this stuff, this is hard and it's complicated.
1:24:44
I certainly remember it myself.
1:24:46
When I was in in the shoes of community board member or council member.
1:24:51
But an example like corner stores is a good one.
1:24:54
Because, you know, corner stores like a Bodega, it's part of New York City's fabric.
1:25:00
And there are thousands of them today in residential districts and they make life better for New Yorkers in a lot of ways.
1:25:07
We want a lot of ways we want to run down the block for a gallon of milk or a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich or whatever.
1:25:13
But in some areas where it would make sense, New Yorkers and
Kamillah Hanks
1:25:16
they drive down the store.
1:25:17
We drive to our mailbox.
Dan Garodnick
1:25:18
Drive.
1:25:19
We drive to the mailbox.
1:25:20
Yeah.
1:25:20
Well, I can't I can't address that one.
1:25:24
That's a but if you don't want to have to drive to to get to that bacon egg and cheese sandwich, you know, there's there's an option here.
1:25:32
Anyway, the point of it is we're creating a process, a process alone so that if it is something desirable in a community, it's something that is possible.
1:25:40
Possible only.
1:25:41
But to your point, yes, this proposal recognizes the differences in the the the vast context of New York City and is organized by the existing districts.
Kamillah Hanks
1:25:51
Thank you.